Undertow
by EldritchSandwich
Summary: Change of Heart Series 5. Yumi throws a party with unexpected consequences…


"...these irregular weather patterns are collectively referred to as _El Niño_, and have had a distinct impact on weather conditions worldwide..." As Mrs. Hertz rambled on, the final bell rang on her biology class. "Oh, it appears we're out of time. Goodbye, everyone, enjoy the break."

Odd was the first out of the room. As Ulrich, Sissi and Jeremie caught up to him, he stretched his arms and sighed warmly. "Wow, a whole week without school! Plus, my grandma hasn't coralled me into anything special, so I'm free to spend it with my best friends."

Jeremie shook his head. "Come on, Odd, you don't really think Xana's gonna leave us alone for a whole week, do you?"

Sissi wrapped her arm around his shoulder, momentarily dislodging his glasses. "Oh, stop worrying, Jeremie. Odd's right. For once we've all got a vacation that we can spend together."

"And if Xana does wake up," Ulrich added, "the factory's only a few blocks away."

As the group rounded the corner, they bumped into Herb and Nicolas with their new queen—apparently, in Sissi's absence, they had taken to following Brandy—probably one of the only girls Sissi had truly considered a friend 'back then.' Now, she looked just like Sissi imagined she must have looked...cold, demanding, and untouchable.

"Uuh...watch where you're going. Oh, hi Sissi. Still hanging around with your pet losers?" Brandy smirked.

Sissi bristled at the words—words, she admitted, she would have used herself only a month ago. Odd jumped in. "Speaking of pets, I'm a little surprised to find Herb and Nicolas hanging around you, Brandy. I thought dogs were supposed to be loyal. But I guess when you're as pathetic as those two you take whatever you can get."

Brandy and her entourage flushed. Herb stepped forward, clenching and unclenching his fists in agitation. "You better watch how you talk." Herb jabbed in Odd's direction with a bony finger.

Ulrich smiled, amused. "Herb—don't kid yourself."

As the new center of the universe moved away in a huff, Sissi shook her head. "Tell me the truth, guys...was I really like that?"

Before anyone had the chance to answer tactfully, Yumi rushed up from behind. "Guess what?"

Odd bit his lip. "Santa Claus is coming to town?"

"Oh, shut up. My parents agreed! They said we can have the party at my place!"

Jeremie smiled. "That's great. What made them give in so easily?"

Yumi shrugged. "Guilt, mostly—they've been fighting again, and this seemed like a good way to show me that it's not my fault. Plus I think they're still happy about my finally getting a boyfriend." Ulrich smiled, squeezing Yumi's hand slightly. Yumi smiled too. She'd said it—_boyfriend_—and it didn't scare her.

"So, Odd," Ulrich turned his attention to his best friend, "do you think you can get Samantha to DJ again?"

Odd looked away at the mention of her name. "Well, actually, Sam and I...we don't..."

Sissi smiled, wrapping her arm around Odd's shoulder, hugging him playfully. "Oh, don't worry. After all, you've still got us."

Jeremie broke off from the group, heading off toward the park.

"Or, maybe you don't..."

Yumi yelled out to their retreating friend. "Jeremie? Where are you going?"

"To the factory. If we're going to have a party, I need to scare up a date."

Odd slumped down on the middle of the bench already shared by Yumi and Sissi. Ulrich stood at Yumi's side, while Jeremie leaned against a nearby oak.

"So, Odd," Yumi turned toward him, "what's the word?"

Odd sighed. "Well, the Pop Rock Progressives will not be playing at the party, since Nicolas just quit as drummer."

Sissi smiled tartly. "Let me guess...Brandy?"

Odd nodded. "Apparently, she doesn't want her new best friends to spend too much time around you. She's not even letting them come to the party."

Sissi's smile pouted. "Hmph...they never followed my commands that blindly."

Jeremie moved toward the bench. "Oh, don't worry about it. The party'll go off without a hitch and you'll have the time of your life."

Odd turned his focus to Yumi. "When's it gonna be, anyway?"

"My parents agreed on Tuesday, starting at eight. As long as everyone's gone by eleven, and my father gets to question Ulrich's intentions for about a half-an-hour beforehand."

Odd stifled a giggle. "Wow, Ulrich, meeting the parents, that's a big step."

"I've already met her parents, Odd. She introduced me a year ago. Now I just have to meet them as 'the boyfriend'."

Yumi squeezed Ulrich's shoulder. "It'll be fine. My folks are crazy about you."

Sissi stood up, brushing pollen from her pant legs. "As fascinating as all this is—Odd, we have some business to attend to." She grabbed Odd by the arm, jerking him up as he attempted to wave goodbye.

"Sissi, what's going on?"

"Ulrich's got Yumi. Jeremie's got Aeilta. We need to find dates. There's no way I'm gonna be the sixth wheel."

"I don't know, my...experiments haven't been going very well lately."

"What about Sandra?"

"Over."

"Marci?"

"Over."

"Helen."

"Far beyond over."

Sissi sighed. "What a wonderful time for us both to lose our irresistable charm, huh?"

Odd snickered, then bent back against the school's cold, brick corridor. "Why don't we go?"

Sissi's eyebrows leapt up to hide in her hair. "Together?"

"Yeah, sure. Why not?"

Sissi smiled. _Oh, well,_ she thought, _any port in a storm..._

Aelita liked the feeling of sitting on grass—it was one she hadn't had time to experience on her last visit to Earth. Now she let herself get lost in the smell of the grass, and the feeling of the sun on her skin, and the sound of ducks in the nearby pond. As her attention drifted back to the picnic, she heard Odd's voice, muffled by tuna salad.

"...you know, if you want I can DJ. I'll bring over my whole collection."

Yumi nodded. "Thanks, Odd. That'll be great."

As Aelita listened, Jeremie brushed her shoulder. "Aelita, are you all right? You haven't touched your sandwich."

Aelita looked down at the sandwich he had packed for her—something Odd had called "PB and J." She smiled. "I'm fine. I'm just not quite used to eating yet. It's such an odd sensation." As she spoke, Aelita watched her view of the park grow darker. "Jeremie? What's happening?"

Odd chuckled. "It's okay, Aelita. The sun just went behind a cloud. Relax."

Ulrich glanced up. "Looks like rain. We shouldn't stay much longer."

Yumi nodded in agreement. "Odd, help me with the blanket."

As Yumi and Odd folded the woolen blanket, Aelita stood in wonder as tiny, crystalline drops of water began to strike her face. She smiled at Jeremie. "This is rain, isn't it?"

Jeremie nodded. "We should probably all get home. Yumi'll walk you back to her place. The rest of us are going back to the school."

Sharing a quick kiss, Yumi and Ulrich led their respective groups off toward home. As the larger group left toward Kadic, Odd held Sissi back until they were several paces behind Ulrich and Jeremie.

Odd cleared his throat. "Listen, Sissi..."

The pink, soaking wet girl looked at him expectantly.

"Our going to Yumi's party together...it doesn't mean we're-"

Sissi laughed half-heartedly. "No. Definitely not. Does it?"

"No. Only...do you think we should tell the others? I feel kind of bad keeping a secret from them."

"It's not a secret, Odd, becuase nothing's...we're not...I'm going to go catch up to Jeremie and Ulrich." Sissi's cheeks flushed as she jogged toward her retreating friends. Odd leaned his head back, letting the now heavy rain strike his face.

"Stupid."

Except for childhood birthdays and the single event Sam had DJed, Yumi had never hosted a party before. Now she knew why. Rubbing her temples in a futile attempt to bargain with her approaching headache, Yumi gazed out over the sea of people that had somehow found its way into her cramped living room.

Ulrich walked over from a conversation with Odd, placing his hand on Yumi's shoulder. "Hey, are you all right?"

Yumi smiled half-heartedly. "I'm fine, really. I just...I didn't really expect that there would be so many of them..."

Ulrich chuckled. "Odd must have told everyone. Even Nicolas and Herb are here."

Yumi's eyebrows rose. "Yeah? Without their new queen? Quite an accomplishment."

"I knew they had it in them."

Ulrich's eyes rolled as he and Yumi turned to face the nasal voice that was becoming more familiar every day. Yumi smiled as best she could. "Hello, Brandy. How...unexpected."

"Well, when I heard you were having a party, I just knew it would be...amusing."

Ulrich tightened his grip on Yumi's shoulder as he felt her press toward Brandy.

"So, where's Sissi? I'm sure she must be having a wonderful time." Without waiting for a reply, the blonde walked toward the table Odd had set up, where he and Sissi sat sipping punch as he waited for his services to be required. "Sissi, how nice it is to see you."

Sissi smiled bitterly as she watched the taller girl approach. "Brandy. I can't begin to tell you how pleased I am that you've graced us with your presence."

"Well, I just can't resist a charity event," Brandy turned her attention from her newfound rival, "Would you like to dance, Odd?"

Odd glanced sidelong at Sissi. "No."

"Why not? Give me one good reason."

"I'm the DJ."

"all right...give me another."

"You're a harpy."

Sissi had trouble surpressing the laughter that wracked her body. Brandy's eyes flashed between the two. "Oh, now I understand, Odd. You'd rather dance with your darling Sissi."

Odd's cheeks flushed, visible even in the dim twilight that punctuated the room. "No, I...we..."

"This is big news. You shouldn't keep this hidden from everyone...that's not very nice."

Sissi's eyes narrowed. "Don't you dare."

Before the shorter girl could stop her, Brandy spun around, the whole room looking to her as she whistled a single, sharp note over the electronic din that permeated the house. "Attention, everyone! I've got a very important announcement to make..."

"So, they're all here...why?" Aelita stared out at the people crowded into Yumi's living room.

Jeremie smiled. "That's the idea of a party. A lot of people get together in one place and interact."

"Don't you do that every day at school?"

"Well, yes, but a party's different. At school we're trying to learn. Here, everyone's just having fun."

As Jeremie grabbed Aelita's hand reassuringly, Brandy's whistle drew their attention toward the center of the room. "Attention, everyone! I've got a very important announcement to make!" Jeremie's eyes surveyed the scene, Odd holding back a panicked Sissi who looked as though she was about to throw herself on the speaking girl. "I just found out that we have another little romance brewing!"

Sissi strained her arm against Odd's grip. "Shut up!" she hissed through her teeth.

Brandy spun around to face the shorter girl, eyes full of an emotion Sissi had never needed—cruelty. "It seems that Odd and Sissi here just can't keep their hands off each other." Finally, the blonde shifted her attention to the girl whose friendship she had apparently forgotten. "Silly me. I thought you didn't have any farther to fall."

Sissi wrenched herself free from Odd's grasp, biting back tears as she stumbled up the steps that lead to Yumi's bedroom. After a moment's pause, Odd shot Brandy an envenomed look and followed Sissi's retreat up the short flight. Amid the whispers and accusations of newly sown gossip, Brandy turned toward Nicolas and Herb, stock still among the now retreating crowd. "See? I told you this party would be fun."

Silently, Jeremie lifted himself from the broad, floral-print coach he and Aelita shared. The pink-haired girl followed him toward Yumi and Ulrich perched on the edge of the kitchen. "What was that all about?" Jeremie wondered aloud as he came to rest beside his remaining friends.

Ulrich shook his head, vision focusing in on the haughty blonde now at the center of the rollicking whirlwind in the center of Yumi's house. "I guess the Ice Queen torch really has been passed."

Jeremie looked up the stairs, seeing only the darkened antechamber that lead to Yumi's room. "Do you think one of us should go up and see how they're doing?"

Aelita bent her head. "I think this is something they'd better work out between them."

Yumi followed Jeremie's gaze, pushing herself off from the edge of the kitchen table. "Aelita's right. In the mean time, I think we have a crasher we need to get rid of..."

By the time Odd found Sissi flopped on the bed, her face was slicked with tears, wet sobbing muffled by Yumi's thin pillow. He crept in, not wanting to disturb her. "Sissi?"

Hearing Odd's voice, Sissi turned her face toward the opposite wall in a vain attempt to hide her fragility. "Get out of here, Odd. Leave me alone."

"Sissi, you can't let Brandy get to you. She's just trying to get under your skin. You can't let her. She's an arrogant, spoiled princess who thinks that it's her way or the highway."

"Like me?"

Odd moved closer to the raised sleeping platform, unsure of how far away he should stay. "Come on, don't be like that. You're..." Searching for words, Odd looked out the crescent window, rain pounding on it's surface. He chuckled. It hadn't stopped raining since the picnic that afternoon. "You're an arrogant, spoiled princess who saves the world and happens to be one of the most wonderful people I know."

Sissi leaned up, drying the tears from her cheeks. She smiled. Odd liked it when she smiled. "Thanks, Odd."

Odd offered his hand, pulling Sissi up as if from the grave. "Come on—we've still got some serious partying to do."

Nicolas sat in a plush chair, Herb standing at his side, while Brandy rambled on about the cleverness of her plan. "But, Brandy...it isn't realy true, is it?"

Brandy scoweled at the interruption. "That's the point, knucklehead," Brandy dripped, her lips curling into a vindictive smile, "With gossip, it doesn't matter."

A voice cut through the forced laughter. "I think it's about time for you three to leave. What do you think, Ulrich?"

Brandy turned as Yumi finished speaking, hands planted authoritatively on hips. Ulrich smiled, crossing his hands in front of his chest. "I think you're right."

Brandy's smile deepened. "Goodness, you seem a bit touchy. I guess some people can't take a joke."

Yumi's fists clenched and relaxed. "You want a joke? Knock knock."

"Who's there?" Brandy purred.

"Get out of my house."

Finally seeing her host was serious, Brandy's eyes widened. "You've got to be kidding. That rain's getting worse every minute—you can't send us out in that."

Ulrich cocked his head, his smile stealing some of the venom from Brandy's. "You know, you're right? That would be cruel and humiliating!" He gestured once with his head. "Go."

As Brandy and her cronies stalked off toward their coats, Yumi collapsed against the fireplace. "Ah, Ulrich, if I ever feel like hosting another party again, I want you kick me."

"Consider it done." Ulrich's arm slid behind Yumi's back, lifting her back to her feet. "And if I ever try to have another conversation with your father, I want you to beat me to a pulp!"

Yumi smiled. "Oh, come on, it wasn't that bad."

Ulrich shuddered to think back on that evening before the party. "Not that bad? It was like a police interogation!"

Yumi's chuckling died as she saw Brandy, Nicolas and Herb standing at the door, looking more cowed than she had ever seen any of them. "I thought I told you to get out."

Brandy's eyes shot down to her feet. "We can't."

Yumi loaded another verbal barrage, but hesitated when Brandy looked back up. She was scared. Pushing her way through the tumult, Yumi stuck her head through the drawn curtains. She stifled a gasp as she looked out. Brandy was right—they couldn't leave. None of them could. The foot-deep water rolling through town saw to that. Yumi pulled her head back to meet Ulrich's curious expression and sighed. It was going to be a long night.

In the six minutes since Brandy had seen the first signs of the flood that now swept rampant through the city, panic had ripped through Yumi's house. Amid confused cries and frightened whispers Yumi and Ulrich frantically ushered the guests upstairs. As they came back down, Odd and Sissi were nearly bowled over by the human wave seeking to escape from the natural one.

The guests safely as far off the ground as possible, the six wearied defenders of the Earth collapsed into the plush chairs that surrounded the living room. Shutting off the stereo, now blasphemously loud amidst the silence, Odd let out a deep sigh.

Jeremie broke the reliable phonic pattern of the rain hitting front window. "It has to be Xana."

Yumi shook her head. "We can't know that for sure."

"Well what other choice do we have? We need to get to the factory—what's left above water, anyway."

Ulrich's head dropped into his open hand. "How?"

"Well, the flood water's all headed toward the river. If we just follow it..."

Sissi snorted. "Follow it? In what? In case you didn't notice we don't have a spare dinghy handy!"

Yumi's eyes lit up. "Actually...I think we do."

As Odd, Ulrich and Yumi pulled the large, inflatable raft up the steep steps that led to the basement, Ulrich chuckled. "It's a good thing your folks never throw anything away," he grunted.

Yumi smiled. "And to think, I never wanted to go rafting again!"

As the oars and life vests followed, Jeremie glanced up the stairs at the silent masses that teemed just beyond the hall door. "Someone should stay here and keep an eye on them."

Sissi stepped away from the assembling rafters. "I'll do it. I never much liked the water anyway."

Odd set down the last of the oars, wiping sweat from his brow. "I'll stay too. That thing's only big enough for four. Besides, Ulrich and Yumi are stronger than I am, they'll be better at rowing."

Jeremie nodded as he showed Aelita how to strap on the puffy orange life jacket.

As the crew carried the fully inflated raft out the open door, they noticed that Yumi's front porch was already covered with a thin layer of frigid, murky water. Wordlessly, the four rowers pushed their craft down the stairs, taking their seats as Ulrich and Aelita pushed the raft out of the shallows and into the rapid, turbulent river that coursed over the pavement. Shutting the door behind them, Odd shook the heavy wetness from his arms. "all right, let's get upstairs and make sure everyone stays calm."

"all right, everyone bear left!" As the intersection came racing toward them, the rowers urged their fragile craft along the street that led toward the factory. Ulrich continued shouting commands, but it was all the crew of four could do to keep the craft stable. Jeremie's face was white with fear and cold, twisted into silent whimper. Aelita shouted as the rapids tossed them about, her face alive with laughter. Jeremie looked over at her in shock. She was _enjoying_ this!

As the water began to drain into the already engorged river, the rowers jerked the vessel to the right. Sliding onto the bridge that connected the factory to the shore, the crew abandoned the raft as Yumi noted with horror that the rising water was only a few inches below the surface of the bridge.

Swinging into the heart of the factory, the four panicked as their feet touched water, but found it to be less than an inch deep. "It must be seeping up through the sewer tunnels. So far, I think the factory's been able to withstand the pressure!" Jeremie shouted over the roar of the storm raging just outside the factory's thin walls.

Aelita ducked into the elevator just as the door began to close. "I just hope the lab is still in one piece!"

As the whimpering masses shuffled about the upper floor of the Ishiyama household, Brandy stood apart, aloof from the fear and anticipation that wafted among the other guests. She was scared—only an idiot wouldn't be—but there was no way she'd let any of them see it.

Ignoring Herb's mindless ranting, Brandy glanced up as Sissi and Odd entered the room, calling for quiet. Odd stepped forward as the crowd silenced, either from obedience or a lack of energy.

"all right, listen up. Everyone's going to be just fine. We just have to sit tight for a while..."

"Oh, who do you think you're kidding?" Brandy quipped, sauntering towards the two peacekeepers, "We're not going to get out of this by waiting. Maybe if you'd payed attention to the weather before you dragged..."

As Brandy lashed Odd, Sissi felt the knot that had been building in her throat all night snap, helplessly listening to herself as the poisonous words that had built up beneath came spewing out. "Shut up! Do you have a better idea? I guess you'd want us all to form a human chain so you could ride our backs to safety? If you're not going to help, feel free to wait outside."

As the three remaining travelers entered the scanner room, Jeremie's voice crackled over the loudspeakers. "The factory seems fine, but I'm not sure how long the walls will hold out."

Aelita held back as Yumi and Ulrich entered their scanners. "Why would Xana do something like this? He's putting the factory in danger."

One level up, Jeremie shook his head as he warmed up the transfer protocol. "I don't know, Aelita. I can't even tell how he did it! Xana can't control the weather—he's confined to localized electrical impulses."

Aelita sighed, a worried look crossing her face as she stepped into the last scanner. Jeremie launched the transfer program.

"Transfer—Aelita. Transfer—Yumi. Transfer—Ulrich. Scanner—Aelita. Scanner—Yumi. Scanner—Ulrich. Virtualization!"

Brandy shook her head. "Look, Sis, just because you've fallen to the point where that is the best you can do," Brandy gestured her head toward Odd, "is no reason to be all testy."

Odd scoffed. "Oh please, Brandy. You've been living in Sissi's shadow since the seventh grade! And no wonder. As a drama queen, she was better than you are. Even Herb and Nicolas would have to agree."

Ulrich pulled his sword free as the crab shattered. "How many more, Jeremie?"

"Another crab coming from the west, plus two hornets!"

Ulrich motioned for Yumi and Aelita to break off toward the Tower. Turning, he readied himself for the battle that would give the girls time enough to reach the Tower. He sighed. He hated the feeling of being devirtualized.

"Oh, look, her knight in shining armor rushes in to defend her. I guess you're pretty lucky, in a way, Sissi. I'm surpirsed you didn't have to go snooping around the seventh graders to find someone who'd tolerate you!" Brandy shouted, her face twisting into a scowl.

As his scanner opened, Ulrich braced himself against the pain of re-entry into the real world. "Jeremie, how are they doing?"

"The hornets are closing fast. I don't know how easily they can get to the Tower."

Ulrich picked himself up off the cold metal floor. "Yumi'll do it."

On Lyoko, Yumi heard Ulrich's words. She wasn't so sure. Flipping out her fan, she tried to take out one of the hovering monsters, but the agile hornet avoided her attack almost too easily. With her fan still on the return trip to her, the only defense Yumi had against the pulsating laser headed toward Aelita's shoulder was to jump in front of it. As she rolled away, stomach still stinging from the pain of the blast, Yumi caught her wayward fan. "Jeremie, how many lifepoints do I have left?"

Sissi shook her head in disgust. "I can't believe I used to be just like you. I cared so much what everyone else thought that I never bothered to listen to what I thought. I surrounded myself with people who didn't even like me just so I wouldn't feel alone. The only difference is that I got over it. I don't care what other people think anymore..."

"Only thirty. Be careful!"

Yumi grunted in recognition and threw her weapon again, this time connecting with the farther hornet as Aelita dove into the Tower.

"...because I realized that all the ones who want me to are people like you." Sissi smiled as Brandy's condescending gaze began to falter.

Aelita lifted herself on the ambient energy of Lyoko's data stream, landing effortlessly on the activated Tower's upper platform. Activating the hand scanner, Aelita breathed a sigh of relief as her name flashed across the interface panel.

Stepping forward toward her weakened adversary, Sissi smiled. She finally realized what it was she'd gained. "You know, Brandy...you're pretty, and you're popular..."

CODE:

"...and I pity you."

L-Y-O-K-O

Yumi sighed, tilting back her head and letting the sound of the rain mingle with the bass of the techno music screaming through her house. She could have called off the party, but no... As she sulked, Ulrich slid up beside her, punch in hand. Yumi smiled.

Ulrich kicked her playfully in the shin. When she looked up, he smiled. "I promised."

Yumi chcukled as Jeremie and Aelita walked up. "Nice party, Yumi," Aelita offered.

Jeremie laughed. "Yeah, especially without the flash floods."

Ulrich set his punch down and turned toward his friend. "How'd Xana do it, anyway?"

Jeremie shivered, as if shaking off the very mention of the virus' name. "As near as I can tell he shorted out the turbines in that dam up north. The rain was just an unfortunately timely bonus. Oh, Ulrich, I forgot to ask...how did it go with Yumi's parents?"

Ulrich chcukled. "Let's put it this way—this time I knew exactly what not to say."

Hearing the first of the footsteps, Yumi groaned and turned around to meet Brandy's eyes. "Brandy, I'm so glad you could make it."

Brandy looked about uneasily. "Uh...thanks. Where's Sissi?" Once again, Brandy marched off toward her quarry without waiting for a response.

This time, however, Odd cut her off before she arrived. "Hey, Brandy. Care to dance?"

Brandy's eyes shot up and down Odd as he stood amid the chaos, cheesiest smile at the ready. "With you? Reality check, anyone?" Brandy marched off toward a smiling Sissi. "Well, well, Sissi, I certainly didn't expect to see you here. I didn't think even these losers would take you in."

Sissi just smiled as Brandy, panicking as her barbs were deflected, stormed off to bully Nicolas and Herb. Odd returned to the table, chuckling under his breath.

Sissi grinned. "How did you know that would work?"

Odd shrugged. "The best defense is a good offense." Odd's eyes carved patterns in his punch glass before flicking up to look at Sissi. "Do you want to dance?"

Sissi smiled, meeting Odd's gaze. "Sure."


End file.
